PRINT: Rock Climb Fruit Pie, Castle Rocks

Fruit Pie

5.8, Sport, 300 ft (91 m), 3 pitches,

Avg: 2.7 from 106 votes
FA: Hannah North, Doug Colwell, 2003
Idaho > S Idaho > Castle Rocks > Castle Rocks > Hostess Gully - W Cor…

Access Issue: (1) BLM Managed Lands at Castle Rocks PERMANENTLY CLOSED TO CLIMBING!! Castle Rocks State Park and US Forest Sevice lands are OPEN TO CLIMBING. US Forest Service Lands closed to new route developement. (2) Highlining temporary ban in place at CIRO/CRSP Details

(1) The BLM has amended the Cassia Resource Management Plan (RMP) to permanently close the 400 acres of land it manages in the Castle Rocks Interagency Recreation Area to staging, traditional rock climbing, sport climbing and bouldering, as well as overnight camping and development of new trails. Here is a link to a map that shows the BLM land in yellow. parksandrecreation.idaho.go…

The adjacent Castle Rocks State Park and the National Forest Service land to the north remains OPEN TO CLIMBING,
as does the nearby City of Rocks National Reserve.

(2) HIGHLINING IS PROHIBITED
By the authority of the park manager, Highlining at City of Rocks National Reserve and Castle Rocks State Park is temporarily prohibited as of August 28, 2019.

The park(s) is reviewing highlining activities. Here are Google Drive links to the closure and the updated Code of Regulations for CIRO. drive.google.com/open?id=1y… and drive.google.com/open?id=1Y…

Arrest and/or hefty fines are likely if caught rock climbing with ropes and gear in the BLM land.

Please respect this closure to ensure access to the open climbing at Castle Rocks is not threatened.

The "Final Supplementary Rules for the Castle Rocks Land Use Plan Amendment Area, Idaho" is located in the Federal Registry. This document gives the details on the closure but doesn't provide a map. You can check it out here: federalregister.gov/documen…

Description

This is one of the first routes on the west side gully on Castle Rock. There are 3 pitches with each being ~ 100 ft long. The 3rd pitch leads left to join the 3rd and last fixed anchor on Zinger. A harder variation for the 3rd pitch (Fruit Filling - 5.10c) goes straight up the bare granite face above the 2nd anchor and into a wee crack and leaning corner that require gear.

The first pitch angles up and right through two small roofs. The 2nd pitch is easy face climbing on granite. The 3rd pitch arcs left from the 2nd anchor to join the 3rd and last anchor on Zinger.

Rap x3 with one 60M rope.

Protection

P1 30m 8Bolts - Stick Clip advised for the first bolt

Draws...

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Looking up the start. Pulling this roof is probably the crux. From here all the way to the 2nd pitch anchors is an amazing patina jug haul.

Kristy rapping the route

Kristy climbing. Belaying from top of second pitch

High on Fruit Pie

Nicole sizing up the short vertical section, which feels like a roof compared to the rest of the climb and is the crux of the first pitch.

Wandering first pitch, as single pitch, 70 m will work. Tie in on belay end anyway!

Dede on pitch two...

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Dan Mathews

5.7+

Great climb with great rock. Perhaps the most fun I've had on a 5.7. Did the link up with Zinger (5.8), which made for a long, consistent 5.7-5.8 patina jug haul! Aug 12, 2014

Dave Harnsberger
Salt Lake City, UT

5.7

If you head left from the 2nd anchor to join the 3rd anchor on Zinger, there's no climbing on this 3 pitch route that's harder than 5.7. Sep 4, 2018

Caden Rogers
Bozeman

Does anyone know how long the first pitch is On this route? Jul 20, 2020

Old lady H
Boise, ID

We did first pitch only, and there was about 25 feet left before the halfway mark on a 70m rope. The leader back cleaned the first two clips to improve the rope line, and placed one can, low. Once the top bits were cleaned on lowering (clip a draw to tram the line), there was plenty of rope to get down to the trees. I'd not use a 60, though, and tie in on the belay end, because, City. Aug 14, 2020

J P
Portland, OR

Who else missed that 3rd pitch heads left, not directly up? If you end up doing the same as me, and make it through the 10c slab section, you'll probably realize it as you stand on a ledge, looking up at a tiny crack and corner above you without bolts. To get back to safe sport climbing ground, you've got a sketchy traverse back left to join Zinger's 3rd pitch anchor. Sep 17, 2020

Shaun Johnson
Pocatello, ID

I highly recommend linking the first 2 pitches. Long runners and/or skipping a few bolts will reduce rope drag. I used a 60 and had extra rope. This is a great climb! Mar 28, 2021

Camdon Kay
Idaho

The first two pitches are characterized by moderate climbing on big patina plates. At the second pitch anchors, one can either continue straight up Fruit Filling (5.10c) or traverse left to the P2 anchors of Zinger (5.8). This traverse is ~30 feet, and the last bit felt very thin and hard compared to the first two pitches. The rope drag would likely be quite heinous if you climb through instead of stopping to belay here, as P3 of Zinger starts with even more traversing.

Quite a bit of spray, but hopefully this provides some clarity for interested parties. Sep 6, 2022

Dan CO
Boulder, CO

Super fun climb - but the description says the 3rd pitch arcs left to join Zinger. Unless I missed something, the 3rd pitch traverses directly left 20-ish feet , you'll want a long draw for that bolt. Seemed like the 3rd pitch is intended to go all the way to the top, but we stopped at an anchor on the way which definitely helped avoid rope drag. Jul 25, 2024